Santa Barbara Search for Vengeance Sealed Pack-Rat

[Static Cat]

Greetings and welcome to another event @ Metro Entertainment.

We actually have surpassed our all time high with Highlander to 9 now, a new record. If however we had our other 2 players we would've had 11 which I believe is all the players in Santa Barbara . . . at this time.

So the event as labeled is a Pack-Rat format for Search for Vengeance, personally this set isn't the greatest for pack-rat format, but it was what it was.

I do like that the sealed decks have both a character and a weapon which makes sealed a lot easier.

At this tournament we had the following participants ( and I'd like to throw in this fact - It was a SWISS tournament that started @ 6:30 w/9 people and ended shortly before 10:00 with 4 rounds of play )

the participants:
Chris
Jon
Aaron ( a blast from our past who never makes it up here but did )
Wilson
Carlos
Ryan
Brian
Luke
and of course me

You'll have to forgive me I don't remember who was play which character, I do however remember seeing a Katana/Kanzashi mix up twice, but other than that things were smooth.

Game 1 vs Luke
Luke had I think every possible slash in the deck at least that wasn't persona specific and used a majority of them fairly well, unfortunately I had 6 dodges, which in Pack-Rat format is AWESOME.

The game went pretty simple, attack, block, block, attack, special cards. My "trick" hit when I hit the Dirty Trick that allowed me to go get a card with "wound" in the title, which I get and makes it so that my opponent is 1 less in that attribute check. Then I either do a Power Blow or play Malicks attack ( free power blow ) along with a Break Weapon ( which I want to add is CHEAP beyond belief in this format as well ).

Then once he had a broken weapon, I played my head shot and won the game, it was quick . . . but that's how it happens.

Oh yeah did I mention I got 2 Break Weapons . . .

Full Win + Head Taken

Game 2 vs. Chris

Instead of going through all the hub-bub for this tournament I will just point up and let you read the one vs. Luke again and then you will know exactly what happened.

Full Win + Head Taken

Game 3 vs. Jon

Okay, so this time I try the same trick a little later in the game, we tied in the attrition so nothing happened, then I tried to take his head and rivered the only dodge that he had to save his life.

Thus the game pretty much went back and forth with attacks and exertions and then finally ended with me winning and him running away

Still a good game vs. my roomate as always.

Full Win: Ran Away

Game 4 vs. Aaron

This game had us doing a lot of exertions him for the blocks ( using the Kanzashi ) and not being able to power block, and me from his cards "Search for Vengeance Plot" which he got off making me loose 12.

I tried the broken weapon combo, failed we tied, tried again later and failed, attempted to take his head and failed.

Regardless, time was called, had 3 life left to my 10 so it was a simple waiting out for the win, last turn of the game I attempt the Head Shot and exert for an attack only to find it at the 7th seed spot.

Ahh well it was good to play Aaron again he needs to move back up here and play more often.

Well there you go, another tournament lean and mean and straight to the point. I will be posting a new have & want list because I want Marcus cards.

The standings:

Cat: 4-0+6
Brian: 3-1+3
Wilson: 2-2+2
Jon: 2-2+2
Ryan: 2-2+2
Aaron: 2-2+2
Luke: 2-2+1
Chris: 2-2+1
Carlos: 1-3+1

Thanks again everyone and remember to check that trade thread

Thanks,
Cat

[barenakedladies]

Holy fudge my pants Batman, you got this report up quick.

[Static Cat]

I don't diddy dally . . . I do it as soon as we get home so that things are still somewhat fresh in my memory.

And thanks,
Cat

[swisherfan]

Congrats Cat...however, I would like to argue that if I grabbed a 10 year old from the Pokemon tourney and gave him a deck with 6 dodges and TWO rare break weapon events he would win the tourney too!!!

I LOVE Packrat, but this tourney left a sour taste in my mouth. There were SO MANY USELESS cards!!! Don't get me wrong, there are some very overpowered cards (see the rare break weapon events above), but overall the set seems to be underpowered. There are some Malik cards that are just dumb, but really dumb in sealed. Marcus' Location stuff is all pretty lame in sealed, and if you pull the Kenzashi for your WoC you are doomed since you have to play it.

[barenakedladies]

Dec 21, 2008 11:37:32 GMT -5 swisherfan said:

and if you pull the Kenzashi for your WoC you are doomed since you have to play it.

I would say though. The most fun game I had all night was when Aaron and I both agreed on not playing our Kenzashi's and just played the game out. It was a lot easier....sure it would have been faster, but we didn't care either.

[prowler7]

Having played in 2 Pack Rat SFV Tournaments, I will mirror some of the comments above.

The problem with almost ANY Highlander set that is this large is you cannot possibly get a good mix of cards in a single Starter and 2 boosters (even if its Pack Rat). The strength of this set is its broad scope in the game at large, with the new mechanics and plethora of toolbox cards.

[zogfhyr]

To tell you the truth, I've been running my Packrat events letting people choose not to use the pregame cards they get - for fear of getting stuck with nothing but a Wakizashi or Kanzashi mainly. I think it makes for a much fairer and enjoyable event.

[prowler7]

To tell the truth, I think with this set at least, there NEEDS to be that option, just for the pregames. Havent gotten saddled with the Kanzashi in both my tourneys I can attest that it is a HARD deficit to make up for. It makes the "Master Swordsman" checklist card almost useless since you cant USE half its ability.

[Static Cat]

I agree as well and I'm going to talk to our TD about the WOC and make it a "may use" this way you don't get screwed over. As well, having the Chain Saw is a little ridiculous as well, a hard exertion to play a Dodge from hand is nothing to what it's ability is.

Regardless, It's a lot of fun, but definitely needs . . . something.

Cat

[barenakedladies]

Dec 22, 2008 3:11:12 GMT -5 Static Cat said:

I agree as well and I'm going to talk to our TD about the WOC and make it a "may use" this way you don't get screwed over. As well, having the Chain Saw is a little ridiculous as well, a hard exertion to play a Dodge from hand is nothing to what it's ability is.

Regardless, It's a lot of fun, but definitely needs . . . something.

Cat

Like packs from other sets? I think the perfect packrat format is this:
Starter of Season 2, Pack of Core, Gathering and SFV.

[prowler7]

Dec 22, 2008 10:53:06 GMT -5 barenakedladies said:

I think the perfect packrat format is this:
Starter of Season 2, Pack of Core, Gathering and SFV.

I disagree. Core had the better starter toolbox, and there arent enough good cards in the SFV boosters to make them worth it because the set is so BIG. And many of the persona specific cards are contigent upon new game mechanics.

[Tim Small]

Depends on what you get Prowler, SFV has some of the best generic cards, and lots of the commons cards are well worth it also.

[prowler7]

Dec 22, 2008 21:48:50 GMT -5 Tim Small said:

Depends on what you get Prowler, SFV has some of the best generic cards, and lots of the commons cards are well worth it also.

I am FULLY supportive of the generic cards and commons in SFV, but in a booster you dont get a good mix...you would need several boosters to get enough of the good cards.

[Static Cat]

Well the other possibility it of course to have a Core Set Starter ( or any other starter except for SoV ) and then use SoV packs to flush it out, thus this way you get a good run of the cards from both sets and you don't have to worry about getting sidetracked with cards that either far to broken or cards that far to overpowered.

Just a thought, but like I said I will talk with the group and go from there.

Thanks,
Cat

[barenakedladies]

Dec 22, 2008 19:51:34 GMT -5 prowler7 said:

Dec 22, 2008 10:53:06 GMT -5 barenakedladies said:

I think the perfect packrat format is this:
Starter of Season 2, Pack of Core, Gathering and SFV.

I disagree. Core had the better starter toolbox, and there arent enough good cards in the SFV boosters to make them worth it because the set is so BIG. And many of the persona specific cards are contigent upon new game mechanics.

See, I disagree with that. Season 2 came with Counters in the starter. It's always good to have just a basic set of dodges. I mean, if you do get a Kenshazi or something that requires dodges of some sort, you have those ready to go.